


Red Socks

by RiverOfFandoms



Category: Glass (2019), Split (2016)
Genre: Dissociative Identity Disorder, Eventual Romance, F/M, Flashbacks, Friendship/Love, Healing, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Mental Health Issues, Mental Institutions, Mentioned Elijah Price, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Recovery, Romance, Semi-Alternate Universe
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-09
Updated: 2019-12-16
Packaged: 2020-01-07 09:27:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18407810
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RiverOfFandoms/pseuds/RiverOfFandoms
Summary: Set after Split, in place of Glass.When Kevin's alters haunt Casey's dreams, she comes to a realisation that they need her help. But how does an abused 18-year-old become friends with the body of people that tormented her?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Important Note: Not that I dislike Glass, I just wanted to experiment with a different direction and focus on the possibility of friendship/love as well as a chance of recovery & it being more realistic -- no mention of superpowers/superheros/villains etc. this is just a portrayal of Kevin with a mental illness.

Casey Cooke clenched her fists over her knees as she awaited the nurse to come collect her. _This is a crazy idea_ , she thought to herself and glanced up at the white clock on the wall. She could leave, she thought, she could leave right now, and no one would know that she ever even _tried._ She watched as orderlies walked through the halls in their blue uniforms and their laminated name-tags clipped onto their crisp, ironed shirts. Some glanced at her as they passed and for a split second, she thought they knew. They must know, how couldn’t they? It seemed as if everyone did. On the bus ride here, her walk back home, even in the food court at the mall. The girl he let go.

“Casey Cooke?”


	2. Chapter 2

Casey sat at the back of the classroom, her deep brown eyes staring down at her hands. She inspected her nails and cuticles but hardly thought about their condition. Her mind was elsewhere. She thought about last night.

In the middle of the night, she had woken up with a frightened start. Her head was almost spinning, like the room was moving; like the walls were collapsing in on her. But as quickly as it had started, it stopped. And it was just her bedroom, her new bedroom, in the dark and silence of the night. She remembered the way her chest moved in and out quickly, gulping down air. She remembered the sweat on her neck and chest, how the slow steady flow of the cool night air made her shiver.

It was the first time, the first _real_ time that she thought about him.

She never dreamed about him before. Of course, he was on her mind. Often. She would remember odd things about him like the smell of his house or the way the bed creaked when she turned from one side to the other, Dennis’ pointed stare and Hedwig’s window. But she never thought of _him_.

He had invaded her dream and she wasn’t sure how she felt about that.

It was the breathing that did it, it sent chills down her spine. The big, round, dark and hungry eyes and the breathing, as if he could smell the fear on her. An animal. A beast. He had stared at her, but he didn’t attack her, he never would again, she knew that. But he still stood there and stared and breathed harshly through his mouth, his broad shoulders moving with his deep breaths. And he had said something, the hoarse, rough voice.

_“The girl he let go!”_

And she had woken up. And now she was in class, like any other day, but something was different. She could feel it. After last night, something was wrong.

But when the bell rang, she fell out of her daze; her stupor. She shook her head, her dark hair slid over her shoulders. She shook those thoughts away. Everything was okay, everything would _be_ okay, now. She went to therapy, she lived in a foster home, she was doing better. Everything was okay.

She walked through the hall towards her next class. She felt the urge to panic creep up under her skin, but she couldn’t let it in. She was doing better, and girls who were doing better didn’t purposely get themselves into detention anymore or hide in the girls’ bathrooms. She took in a breath and held it as she reached out for the door handle to the classroom, but a voice interrupted her.

“Casey?”

Casey turned to see her principal, and out of routine, smiled warmly at her. Her principal was a nice woman, kind. “Yes?”

“Can I speak with you? In my office,” her voice wasn’t stern but there was something else in it that made Casey concerned, almost distrustful. But she followed her into her office anyway and took a seat in front of her big, wooden desk.

She smiled, “Casey, I have some news for you. Some good news, really good news in fact.”

Casey controlled her breathing and tried not to let the obvious excitement turn into anxiety, “Good news?”

Her principal’s eyes flashed, and she said, “They caught the bastard, Casey. They caught the guy who did it.”

Casey paused and blinked, she heard his breathing behind her. It echoed loudly in her mind. She felt it on her skin and goosepimples rose, her hair on the back of her neck stood up and she suddenly felt as though she were back there. Back under the zoo.

“Casey?”

She blinked and nodded her head. “Right.”

“I’m sure your foster family will be so relieved, and I’m sure you are too.”

She nodded again, and Marcia’s half-eaten stomach flashed before her eyes.

“He won’t be able to hurt anyone again.”

Casey stood up from her chair but smiled, trying to look altogether. _She was okay._ She kept repeating it in her mind, _she was okay_. She thanked the principal and after a few comments on how well she’d been doing as of late, she left the office and headed straight for the restroom instead of her classroom. She bent over one of the toilets and didn’t fight the urge to vomit.

***

It was on the news. Everywhere she went that afternoon, it said, _The Horde Arrested_ or _The Beast Captured_ , they explained where the missing cheerleaders were and that they were safe now. Casey sighed out of relief when she heard that Kevin hadn’t hurt anyone else. That the Beast hadn’t eaten anymore girls.

But on her journey home, on the bus and on the walk to the house, she couldn’t help but glance behind her. Watch her back. Even though he was captured, even though he couldn’t hurt anyone else, she couldn’t help it. She felt more unsafe than ever.

And now here she was, sitting upright in her bed again, the sun still sunken deep behind the horizon and only the quiet hum of a fan somewhere turned on in the house and the few odd cars passing by on the street road outside her window. She hugged herself against the chill of her bedroom, breathing harshly. He was in her mind, again.

But it wasn’t the Beast. It was Dennis.

She shook him out of her mind, out of her head, she wasn’t ready to digest all of _that_ yet. What happened under the zoo, in that room with two beds, she wasn’t ready to understand it yet. Could she _ever_ understand it?

He had stood where the Beast was, but instead of staring at her, hard and breathing deeply, looking hungry but distanced, instead of all that, Dennis had reached out to her with one hand. And that was it. That was enough to cause her to sit up quickly in bed, it was enough to frighten her.

But she wasn’t frightened of him. She knew that for sure. There was something else, something else below the surface that made her panic, but what could it be?

***

Casey hadn’t a wink of soundless, restful sleep all week. Ever since the first dream. She would wake up every night, a new disturbance each time. The Beast came again, in the shadows. Patricia even made an appearance, albeit soft but haunted. With a finger, she’d delicately wave it beckoning Casey and Casey wasn’t sure what she should be more concerned about: Patricia showing up in her dreams or actually _wanting_ to follow her.

If Dennis wasn’t crossing his arms over his chest or reaching out to her, Barry was standing by the doorway waiting. Just waiting, silently, leaning against the doorframe in his over-sized coat and beanie. They were all in her mind, in her dreams, in her bedroom, waiting for her; but she didn’t understand what they were waiting for. 

Then, one night, the last night, it was Hedwig.

She stared at the doorway to her room, thinking it might be Dennis’ turn again, but nobody was there. In each dream, they were always there. Already there, waiting for her. She’d close her eyes and drift off to sleep and feel as though she were still awake, and she would see them already standing there in the doorway. But this time, no one was waiting there for her.

But then she heard a laugh down the hall and footsteps thumping up the stairway.

Casey never moved in her dream, but this time she did. She sat on the edge of her bed, her eyes wide, and smiled as the boy, Hedwig, in his yellow jacket sporting a cheeky, wide smile jumped into her bedroom.

“Hedwig…” she started, softly.

He smiled at her, his hands shoved deep into his pockets, “Casey, you’ve gotta follow me. The Horde, we need your help.”

“What?” Casey said, almost shocked. “My help?”

“Kevin does.”

“But you let me go. I’m supposed to be well, I’m supposed to be doing good now.”

“Kevin needs your help.”

Casey held tightly onto the blankets underneath her, her fingers digging into the fabric. “Why, Hedwig?” she felt her voice shake.

“ _Duh_ , the Horde, we’re trapped! And Kevin can’t help us get out, _etcetera_!”

Casey stared at him, dumbfounded. Kevin needed her help? But how was she supposed to help him? How could she, after everything, how could she help them? Why should she?

“I’ve gotta go now, but you have to follow.”

“But…” she protested, as he turned to go, “but where are you going, Hedwig?”

“ _Hedwig!”_ She shouted, but instead of leaping up from the end of her bed after the boy, she was back under the blankets again. In her room, but for real. In the night, all alone. Hedwig not in sight. Her bedroom doorway was empty, her door closed, in fact, and there was only silence there now.

It wasn’t until the morning, when she woke up with bags under her eyes, that she found out. She was sitting in the kitchen gulping down coffee and forcing in mouthfuls of cereal, even though her stomach didn’t really appreciate it, it wasn’t until that moment that her eyes glanced to the TV and the morning news announced that Kevin W. Crumb was sent to a mental institution until his trial. It wasn’t until that moment that she knew what Hedwig wanted her to do.


	3. Chapter 3

“Casey Cooke?”

A woman dressed in deep blue smiled kindly down at her.

Casey teared her eyes away from the exit and tried to smile back, “Yes,” she said it softly, trying to be brave, but all she could think about was leaving this place in the dust.

“Hi, Casey,” she shoved a hand out toward her, “My name is Marie Ford,” she gestured to the name tag on her shirt, “but just Marie is fine.”

Casey stood up from the blue, plastic chair and felt her hair fall over her shoulders. She took Marie’s hand into hers cautiously and kept her stare while she shook it, “Hi.”

Marie let go and turned to walk the hall, in which Casey was prompted to follow. “I’m aware of your…” she clutched her clipboard closer to her chest, “of your role in Kevin’s case.”

Casey nodded along silently, already having guessed that she would. Anyone who were to watch over a possible criminally insane person would _have_ to know that. She had known it was a long shot, a severely long shot.

“I don’t think it wise to inject you into his recovery, it could bring up unwanted… feelings,” she peered through her too long, auburn fringe at Casey and Casey only nodded again. “Besides, with the trial coming up, it isn’t wise. We try to give our patients a chance, despite the probability. It is unlikely that Kevin Crumb will ever recover properly.”

“I can help him,” Casey intervened and was surprised at the fact. She hadn’t interrupted anyone before, but she felt it urgent to say and she suddenly remembered Hedwig’s face, and his words echoed through her mind.

The nurse almost stopped in her tracks, but she still laughed absurdly, “I don’t think you can.”

Casey struggled for words, “But he wasn’t going to kill me. I could help.”

“No,” she said firmly, “It would be a mistake to let you visit him,” she stopped this time and touched Casey lightly on her arm and stared at her intently. “I’m afraid I can’t let you see him. It just wouldn’t be right. It doesn’t matter if he let you go, or whatever nonsense the television and tabloids say. It wouldn’t be right.”

Casey swallowed, the echoing of rubber soles squeaking over the tiled floor and inconsistent, quiet chatter surrounded the two women. She couldn’t go back home defeated, she just couldn’t. She would just keep having the dreams. “I…” she trailed off, and closed her eyes momentarily before saying, “I have to see him. I-It isn’t even about him, it’s about me. _I_ have to.”

Marie looked at her almost incredulously, “I…” she was lost for words.

“I haven’t come here in spite of him. I haven’t come here to get my revenge, I came here because I need to. And I think he will listen to me.”

“I think you need to go home.”

“Marie— please—” Casey followed her relentlessly down the hall again back into the main office.

“I think I’ll call your family; you shouldn’t _be_ here.”

“Listen to me!” Casey shouted, and the level of her voice startled visitors and orderlies alike. Marie stopped what she was doing, now behind the office desk, mid-reaching for the phone, and stared at Casey. “Please, just listen to me. Just give me ten minutes, just ten minutes! I won’t even stay for the half hour.”

Marie dropped her hand by her side and stared at Casey, her thoughts whirring as she tried to make a decision. Casey didn’t know what else she could say to convince the woman, but she hoped that Marie could see into her eyes and know that she was desperate, that she was telling the truth. 

“Fine,” she breathed, and walked around the office desk. “Fine. Ten minutes.” She shoved the visitor sign-in sheet and pen to her, “Not a minute more or a minute less. And I will personally sit in.”

Casey breathed out shakily and nodded, her eyes dropped to the sheet and pen. She tried to sign her name as best as she could, but she was out of breath from anxiety and her hands refused to stop shaking.

Marie took the sheet from her abruptly and placed it back in its spot on the counter and walked down the hall. Casey followed Marie’s rushed steps towards an elevator. She stepped into the elevator and saw her worried face. Marie clicked onto one of the higher floors and then she scanned her card.

Marie looked up at Casey, “His floor is heavily guarded and restricted from normal visitors. You have to be employed to get there, or with one of the employees. He shares it with one other guest.”

Casey swallowed.

“His room is also equipped with hypnotic lights. When switched on they force him to change to a less threatening alter,” the elevator slowed to a stop and the doors slid open, Casey followed Marie down the stark white hall toward a heavy-duty room. She could understand why this floor was off-limits, if any other visitor saw these rooms they might panic at the sight.

Marie stood outside the room and before she scanned her key-card to the pad that sat on the side of the door, the only thing that would unlock it, she said, “There’s a line that you _must_ stand behind. You cannot cross it, only I can. Alright?”

“Got it.”

Marie took in a deep breath and prayed to whoever was listening silently and quickly, before scanning the card and hearing the click of the lock. She pushed the door open and eyed the man who sat on the edge of his bed. “Kevin?” she always used Kevin’s name, she didn’t think it right to indulge the others by using their desired names. There should only be one person in that body, and that was Kevin, she believed it firmly and all the alters knew that, too.

“My name is Hedwig!” he whined, and Casey smiled at the boy’s confident attitude.

“I have a visitor for you. Do you want her to come in?”

He frowned with distrust, “A visitor?” his lisp evident in his words, “Who?”

Marie stepped off to the side and Casey locked eyes with Hedwig as she finally followed through, the steel door shut behind her. She tried to smile confidently at him, but she faltered. She became breathless almost, and sudden flashbacks of her time under the zoo in Hedwig’s room came back to her.

“Casey?” but it sounded more like _cay-thee_.

“Hi, Hedwig,” she toed the painted line and realized she couldn’t go any further.

“Wow,” he said, as if in awe, “I can’t believe you came here!” and then he frowned before he continued, “You tried so hard to get away?”

Casey couldn’t help but smile, she had a soft spot for him. He was only a child, after all. “I wanted to see you all again,” she realized she hadn’t come prepared for a speech, or motive, or anything, really. She thought she would know what to say when the time came, and so far that has worked, if only barely.

He sat back on his bed, “ _Ha!_ ” he giggled wildly. “You missed us?” he couldn’t help his broad smile, “You missed… me?”

She nodded, “I did.”

He laughed again and turned to look at Marie, “Sh-she’s my girlfriend. She and I… we kissed, you know?”

Marie only looked at Casey, an eyebrow raised.

“Listen, Hedwig, I wondered… could I talk to one of the adults now?”

“Like Mr. Dennis?” he asked.

 _No,_ Casey thought. _Not him._ But she couldn’t find the words, she couldn’t speak them into existence, and instead she didn’t reply; didn’t say anything at all. But before Hedwig could comply and change alters, she spoke quickly, “Wait—”

Hedwig looked at her expectantly, “What?”

Casey breathed in and out heavily but tried to not draw any suspicion from Marie. If this visit went well then maybe she could come back. “Is Miss Patricia around?”

Hedwig frowned, “Mm… no, she doesn’t wanna come into the Light right now, she’s upset, I think. But Mr. Dennis, he wants to. But he doesn’t know you’re here.”

“Can you—”

“I’m going to give the Light to Mr. Dennis now,” Hedwig smiled briefly before he disappeared. Casey could only hold her breath as she waited for Dennis to take over.

Kevin’s body stumbled only slightly, and his eyes closed for a second before he breathed deeply. When he opened his eyes, Casey felt her heart shudder. She wasn’t scared, she told herself, not of Dennis. She could never be scared of him. But she didn’t know how she felt, and that was worse. Much worse.

He swallowed and glanced at Marie as he gathered his surroundings and when he realized that someone else was in the room, his eyes moved to Casey’s. At first, he was confused, as if he almost didn’t recognize her. But how could he not?

“Casey,” he breathed, and he almost seemed relieved by the way his face seemed to relax at the sight of her. But he made sure to compose himself, especially in front of the nurse who watched his every move. “Casey,” he repeated more firmly and eyed her, she felt his stare and swallowed. Everything came flooding back.

He stepped toward her from the bed and stood tall. He kept his eyes on her at first, but they started to wander... “You look…” he coughed and instead looked at her face, “kept your clothes clean, I see.”

“Always do,” she said, quietly.

He glanced back to Marie and then looked at her again, “Why are you here?” his inquisitive look was signature to Dennis, his hard face and cocked eyebrow. She suddenly remembered how he had looked at her like that so many times before.

“I heard… you were here. I wanted to see you, talk to you all.”

Dennis went silent.

Casey swallowed again and ignored the look she got from Marie. Marie wouldn’t understand this tension; she would assume it was because Dennis was the one who kidnapped her. And while that may be true, Casey hadn’t held that over him. The tension was there for other reasons but they both knew they couldn’t speak a word of it in front of the nurse. Any nurse. Or doctor.

Finally, Dennis spoke, after calculating his response carefully. He hated having to be cautious, but he couldn’t trust any of the orderlies or the nurses, or Kevin’s doctor. Not a single soul. But he could trust Casey, he knew that much. He shifted weight between his feet, “Why?”

“Because Dennis, I…” she stared down at her feet. It took her a moment, but she was able to regain herself enough to speak, “I came for a visit. Does it need a reason?”

“But the Beast, he hurt you?” he swallowed uncomfortably, his muscles tensed, “We all hurt you.”

“Dennis, you didn’t…” she sighed, “The Beast let me go. And now you’re here, in this place, to get well again. To get better.”

He shook his head, “You think too much of us, Casey. We’ll be here to _rot."_

“No, you won’t—”

“I think your time is up, Miss Cooke,” Marie said as she stood from her chair.

“Dennis—”

“Miss Cooke,” Marie repeated, slowly but firmly.

Dennis stared at Casey, but he couldn’t bring himself to say anything more. He knew that he shouldn’t give the girl any hope that he and the others might get through this, he shouldn’t give her any hope that they might, one day, be friends. He couldn’t understand why she was here, he couldn’t understand why she would come back to him, but he knew that if that was what she wanted, she was sorely mistaken. They would never let him leave this place. Not after what the Horde had done.

She crossed the painted line, her heart beat fast, up her chest and into her throat. She wasn’t one to disrespect authority but if this was her last minute with him then what else were she to do? Hedwig had told her that Kevin needed her, and she planned to help them all.

“ _Miss Cooke!”_ Marie shouted but didn’t cross the line herself. Instead she pressed a button that would call security to Kevin’s room.

Casey realized she only had a few seconds, because Marie wouldn’t cross the line. She never would cross the line; she was too afraid of him. But Casey _did_.

Casey grabbed onto Dennis’ arm and said, “Dennis, you’ve got to get better. You’ve got to listen to the doctors, they’re here to help you. You need to bring Kevin back into the Light or you all are going to be trapped here forever, don’t you _see_ that?”

Dennis stepped back from her, but she clung to him insistently. He hadn’t felt her grasp for a very long time, and the last time she touched him he almost felt Kevin take over. He could feel it, even now, he could feel Kevin coming into the Light. “Casey, we can’t—” But it was so sudden, so sudden was the change. He felt it all too quickly, he lost control and Kevin took over.

Casey held onto Dennis’ arm and watched as he changed. She knew the signs, they were quite hard to miss. She thought maybe Patricia took over to scold her, or even Hedwig might’ve come back to tell her to go away and leave them all alone, or even the Beast, but it was neither.

He breathed in deeply as he stared around the room. The last he saw was Dr. Fletcher lying on the ground under the zoo and Casey with tears in her eyes. But he was back, again, and here she was, holding onto him like a lifeline.

Casey could hear the loud echo of feet slapping down the tiled hall, getting closer. She didn’t have much more time.

“It’s you…” he said, quietly, ignoring the frantic calling of the woman with auburn hair. Ignoring the sound of people running to the room. All he could see was her, her relieved face and her soft hands on his own.

She stared up at him and when she realized who he was she felt her muscles relax and her grip loosened, “Kevin?”

Marie stopped yelling at Casey when she saw what was happening. She watched as Kevin held onto Casey’s hands. None of the nurses or the orderlies, even the doctors, none of them had yet met Kevin. And now here he was, and it was this incessant girl who brought him back. Marie quickly opened the door to his room and called off the security, who had reached them just as he had changed back. Marie knew that Kevin wasn’t dangerous.

She stepped back inside and watched the pair of them, holding hands, she watched them carefully.

“You’re okay…” he said, softly, as if he almost didn’t believe Casey was really standing in front of him. “I thought,” he shook his head and closed his eyes, “I thought for _sure_ they had gotten to you.”

“I’m okay.”

He closed and opened his eyes again and glanced around the room, “Where am I?”

Marie stepped over the painted line, only just, “You’re in the sanatorium. Before your trial, Kevin. They want to determine if you’re fit for trial first, and then…”

He sighed, relieved that they couldn't hurt anymore girls, “Good, good…” he found Casey’s eyes again, “What are you doing here?”

“I just… wanted to make sure… I wanted to help you,” she shook her head. “I don’t really know why I’m here.”

“That reminds me,” Marie interrupted, edging slowly back to the line. “Your ten minutes is up.”

Kevin’s face fell as Casey let go of his hands and he said, “Ten minutes is all I get?”

Casey turned to him as she began walking to the door and replied, “I had to bargain my time.”

He nodded his head slowly, “Right…” He felt weak, his hands didn’t really feel like they belonged to him. But he remembered Casey’s hold on them, and it reminded him that he was real. “Can I see you again?”

Casey faltered and glanced to Marie, who ignored her stare. She swallowed and nodded at Kevin, “Of course. I’ll come back when I can.” She hated that she had to lie to him but at least it was Kevin she had to lie to – Dennis or Patricia would surely see right through her lies.

He smiled and Marie quickly ushered her out the door and down the hall.

Marie was silent all the way back to the front desk where administration staff were busy directing people out of the building, since visiting hours were over. Casey knew it was because she brought Kevin into the Light, but if Marie was going to ask how, there was no explanation she could give. She didn’t even understand it herself, only that it almost happened one other time, under the zoo, when she and Dennis—

“We’re going to have to send his doctor up to his room right away,” she said in a huff, “she’ll be…” Marie was furious at herself for letting Casey visit Kevin, but she was also curious. Very curious. “You,” she pointed at Casey, “sit over there, I’m not finished with you yet.” And with that, her heels clicked down the tiled hallway in the opposite direction, until she reached a closed off office. The click of the door latching behind her echoed through the hall and Casey did as she was told, and took a seat back in the same plastic chair she had started in.


	4. Chapter 4

Doctor Staple was a cold woman who kept her hair neat and tidy and painted her lipstick on too roughly. Those were the first thoughts that crossed Casey’s mind when she sat down across from her in her office.

Kevin’s doctor sported a simple skirt and blazer and wasn’t as old as Casey had originally assumed. Dr Staple stared at her from behind her big desk in silence, her hands on-top of the wood, clasped firmly together. “Casey Cooke.”

Casey tried her best to smile.

“You left the number of your foster family with Marie?”

Casey nodded. When she was rushed into Staple’s office, Marie was sent to call Casey’s home and inform them of her whereabouts. It wasn’t ideal, they would know the name of the sanatorium from the news. But Casey knew she was in trouble from the moment she stepped over the line, literally.

“I understand you talked to Kevin today. The _real_ Kevin,” she said it as if he was faking his alters and Casey felt her muscles clench. “If I were informed about your wanting to visit Mr. Crumb, I… would have prevented it. He is in too much of an unstable position, you see.”

Casey only swallowed.

“But you managed to talk to Kevin and that’s more progress than anything I’ve been able to do.”

Casey kept silent, in times like these where adults stated what was on their mind meant she had to shut her mouth and listen. Only listen. She suddenly thought about her foster family, how they would be on the phone to Marie right now, how horrified they would be that she came all this way and visited her kidnapper. God, Casey thought, she knew she was messed up. She knew it from the beginning, but coming to see her kidnapper in a sanatorium? Could she get any worse?

“In any other circumstance, I would be very harsh with you,” Staple paused to look at Casey. “But I think I need your help.”

Casey frowned.

“Kevin Wendall Crumb,” she held up his file in her hand, “is a special case. We don’t often deal with special cases here in this sanatorium. I don’t usually provide my service to this institution,” she sighed, “but this man… he needs to be given a chance.”

Casey listened closely, leaning a little out of her chair, it was almost as if she could be dreaming, as if her wishing had tricked her into thinking that Dr Staple was saying this to her.

“What I mean is, you should keep visiting him. You’ll get your full half hour, too,” she suddenly dropped the file on top of her desk and sat back further into her cushioned chair. “Casey, Kevin is slipping away. He has 24 alters and for one mind that is… too much. The only way he can properly rehabilitate is if Kevin takes control. But he can’t do that if he’s too busy hiding away and letting the others dictate what his body will do. You brought him out today for the first time, ever…” she sounded defeated, as if she didn’t want to put this all on an eighteen-year-old girl, “you’re the only one who can help Kevin.”

She swallowed again, her mouth feeling very dry. It was a lot to ask of her, but Casey had hoped that this would be the outcome. She wanted to do this; it was why she tried in the first place. “Okay,” she glanced at the ground, “But my foster family—”

“Marie didn’t call them. I just wanted you to realise how serious this situation is,” she pressed her lips together as her eyes wandered to her folded hands, “I will monitor your next visit, Casey. And nobody else has to know what you’re… what you’re doing. Not your family, not the press, not your school… just me and Marie.”

Casey knew she didn’t have to think about it much longer, she had already decided the moment she saw that Kevin was admitted. She nodded firmly, “I’ll do it.”

***

Casey still dreamed that night, but it was different.

It started in the car with Marcia and Claire. They were in the backseat laughing over something funny on their phone and she was in the front seat, staring at the review mirror. The contents from Claire’s party lying on the asphalt behind the car, she frowned.

The car door to the driver’s seat opened but she didn’t notice, she didn’t notice that it was Dennis and not Claire’s Dad, Mr. Bolt. She knew this dream, she thought, she knew this dream because it was a memory.

She tried to turn around in her seat but couldn’t. She wanted to tell Marcia and Claire to run but she couldn’t open her mouth. Casey could only watch as Dennis put them to sleep with the spray bottle of chloroform. She wanted, so badly, to reach for that door handle and run – maybe if she had, the police would have found them quicker, before Marcia and Claire died.

Maybe Casey would have never met Dennis, never spoke to him or learned more about him, never realized that he was just a man in a body of other people; that he lived in chaos. She never would have met Kevin and she never would have reported her uncle to the police.

Suddenly though, she wasn’t in the car anymore. That memory fizzled away, and instead she was in that room, with the two beds. The girls already locked up in the other rooms elsewhere. She was alone.

She was sitting on the end of one of the beds. This room did not bring her comfort. She felt herself suffocating with the thought of never being able to escape, again.

She turned her head at the sound of a _click_ noise. A strip of light glowed underneath the door; someone must be in the adjoining room. She heard the keys lock the other door that led to the rest of Kevin’s home, and then she heard footsteps approach her door. She spotted the shadow of feet before she saw the rim of shoes pressed closely against the door.

 She remembered this memory, too. Her heart raced in her chest, she felt it, even in the dream. She knew what would happen next.

The door swung open and Dennis stood there in his grey, freshly ironed clothing, staring at her. His eyebrows pulled so close together, creased there, sometimes Casey joked that they would stay like that forever. He never really laughed out loud, but he thought it funny too, she could tell by the way his face would soften just a little when she had said it to him.

Casey saw him visibly swallow and then watched as he closed the door behind him. He stood there in silence for a moment, his back to her, and Casey wondered what it was that was wrong. She liked Dennis, in fact, he was someone she got along well with, somehow. So, she was concerned at why he seemed so…

He finally looked her in the eyes, “I heard…” he started, confused, he walked towards her, “Did… Did you kiss Hedwig?” His eyes flashed in the dimness of the room; he was mostly confused but she could spot a hint of amusement.

But when Casey began to stand up, she was back in her bedroom again, and at first, confused. She felt the coolness of her floorboards under her feet. The creak of her weight on the old wood had done it, the creak had woken her up. She blinked, still standing there in the dark, and tried to regain herself but there was a lingering feeling that she was still under the zoo. It kept her wide awake for a while, her mind wouldn’t let her rest. But soon she fell back to sleep because she knew that it was impossible for her to be back there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there! I just wanted to say that I'm so thankful for the response to this series so far. Thank you for all your comments! I also wanted to say sorry for not being able to post as regularly as I would like. And sorry that this chapter is a bit short for the amount of time you've had to wait -- I like to write a chapter or two ahead of what I've posted, and unfortunately, I haven't had a whole lot of time to write lately, due to uni work! But I'll keep on with this series :)  
> Thanks again!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again for your comments/feedback and your patience! Hope you enjoy this chapter :)

The bus ride to Raven Hill Memorial gave Casey time to calm herself. She was nervous about seeing Kevin again – or whoever it was in the Light today. She was also nervous about Dr Staple. Casey knew she could help Kevin, or at least try to, but what would happen if she failed? What if Dr Staple put too much trust in her? She knew she shouldn’t think thoughts like that, but she had to think of all outcomes, it was how she survived in this world.

She suddenly thought about what her foster family would think. She pushed that away as soon as she could, she wasn’t allowed to dwell on that, at least, that’s what she told herself. There were bigger things going on here than her homelife.

After escaping the zoo and reporting her uncle to the police, she was seventeen then, but bordering on turning eighteen. She wasn’t sure what would happen to her. But family services said she could stay in a foster home even though she was an adult. She could stay there until she graduated and went off to college – as if she’d even get into one.

But it was something and it had given her hope. So, having to go behind her home’s back like this made her feel guilty. But she just had to tell herself that it was bigger than that. She didn’t quite understand yet how big, but it was big.

The bus finally halted at the stop near the sanatorium and she got off. She kept her face hidden from view by wearing an oversized coat with a hoodie, she didn’t want anyone recognising her and making the connection between her getting off at this stop and the sanatorium. That would only bring unwanted attention.

The walk to Raven Hill Memorial was brisk and the sign-in was brief. Marie was slightly displeased that Casey had come back at all; she was almost sure that the girl would chicken out. But she was also impressed that Casey came back, not many would for somebody in that condition. She’d seen it happen all the time. She’d even seen it happen to a patients’ family members, the people you would count closest, and Casey was neither family nor friend to Kevin Wendell Crumb.

Casey followed Marie toward the same elevator, and they didn’t speak a word to each other at all. Casey wasn’t sure what that meant, she wanted a good relationship with the staff so that she could help Kevin and everyone else properly, but it seemed that Marie could only just tolerate her.

“Dr Staple will meet us at his room,” Marie finally said as the numbers ran onto each other, indicating that they were travelling up to his floor. “She will sit in today instead of me.”

“Okay,” Casey breathed, she couldn’t stop watching the numbers change. She felt the nerves rise with their ascent.

They headed down the same hallway towards his room, it was a shorter walk than last time. When they passed one of the other rooms, Casey spotted a man in a wheelchair, just before the steel door shut tight again.

 _His other guest_. She suddenly wondered what on earth a man in a wheelchair could do that would have him end up here on what seemed like to be the criminally insane level. That thought, however, didn’t last long as Marie swiped her card to unlock Kevin’s door. Dr Staple rounded the corner at this moment and gestured that Casey go in first, so she did.

She walked into his room and immediately noticed Kevin lying on his side on top of the bed, uncaring of his visitor. Casey squinted at him and tried to work out who was in the Light this time.

Kevin watched Dr Staple come in and take a seat in the corner of his white room and he didn’t even flinch when the door slammed shut behind her. He just stared at her and Casey kept close to the line, though she knew that Dr Staple wouldn’t mind if she went even closer to him.

“Kevin,” Dr Staple said calmly, “who is it that I’m speaking to?”

Kevin rolled his eyes, though there was something feminine in the way he executed it. Casey couldn’t explain how she knew.

Dr Staple sighed and sat back further into her chair, “You’ve got a visitor,” she briefly gestured to Casey as she spoke.

Casey swallowed and felt the nerves spike. She didn’t know who it was that had control of Kevin’s body and she suddenly hated the pressure that was placed on her to know the deep ins and outs of him, because frankly, she didn’t actually know everything about him. 

Kevin finally looked to Casey, though cautiously. It made sense, whoever had the Light wouldn’t trust Casey yet and so she knew that this session would be much more difficult than the last. Casey took in a breath before she spoke to him, “Hi, I’m Casey. I don’t think we’ve met before—”

“Oh, right,” he finally said, somewhat childishly, but not in the same way as Hedwig would. She would be able to spot Hedwig from a mile away. “You’re her, Dennis’ girl, right?” she laughed and looked over at Dr Staple slyly, “ _cheeky_ boy, he is.”

Dr Staple only raised an eyebrow and watched Casey closely.

Casey felt her cheeks grow hot, but she refused to let them show, at least to the doctor, she didn’t care if Kevin’s alter saw. They obviously already knew.

“Oh, sorry, _where_ are my manners?” Kevin got up from the bed, and giggled, “My name is Jade,” she held out her hand politely, though she’d rather not be polite, but the doctor was in today, so she felt she had to.

Suddenly, Casey remembered back to the girl she saw briefly on one of the many, many videos she watched on the computer they kept in their house. The video logs of each alter. She remembered Jade because she filmed herself taking an insulin shot while complaining that none of the other alters needed to take insulin. Casey remembered that moment because she felt, for the second time ever, that the people inside the one body were really just that: people.

“Jade,” Casey breathed, and quickly shook the hand she gave.

She raised an eyebrow, “You’ve heard of me?”

Casey nodded, “Something like that.”

Jade smiled briefly. She only heard things about Casey and didn’t quite yet know what to think of her. All she knew was what the others knew, though not on the same level as she didn’t quite experience those things herself.

“I didn’t realise we were even allowed company,” Jade said nonchalantly as she looked over at Dr Staple.

Dr Staple nodded, “Casey is an exception.”

She smirked, “Dennis would be happy.”

Casey felt Jade’s eyes on her, and she knew that Jade was only trying to get a rise from her, especially in front of Dr Staple, but Casey kept her cool, “I thought Hedwig would be the happiest.”

“Suppose he is,” Jade replied smoothly, she wandered the room pointlessly, “he has the biggest crush on you, you know?”

Casey smiled a little.

“That kid _always_ goes on and on about how he kissed you,” Jade rolled her eyes. “He doesn’t shut up about it. But I guess nine-year-olds are like that, right?”

“Right.”

Jade glanced down at her hands, she swallowed. She suddenly looked deep in thought. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, “I guess you wanna speak to Kevin or whatever?”

Casey shook her head, her brown hair shaped her face, “I don’t mind who I speak to.”

Jade looked at her softly a moment. Then she proceeded to pace the room again, restlessly, “Kevin’s real weak most of the time, he hardly comes out anymore.”

“Do you know if he is okay?”

She blinked and stopped, “I guess he is. I don’t know, he’s not very talkative. He likes the quiet… I think he thinks that this is all too hard, you know, to deal with.”

Casey only nodded along with her words.

Jade stared down at her feet against the cool concrete floor, “Sometimes I just think there’s too many of us, you know? And so, Kevin just can’t be bothered to try and cope with it. He doesn’t know how to,” she paused a moment, thinking hard, Casey could tell by the way she frowned in concentration, “We used to have a system, a way of managing but… then Patricia and Dennis took over and I guess you know the rest, huh.” She looked up at Casey, her eyes distant.

“I do.”

“Aren’t you mad?” she questioned, sort of abruptly. As if she suddenly remembered everything that had happened with Casey and the Horde.

“I don’t –I don’t…” Casey started, fumbling for the right words. She hadn’t expected that question, she hadn’t expected it from one of the alters. “No,” she finally said, firmly. “I’m not mad.”

“Why?”

“Because I know… I know that people who have been hurt in the past don’t know how to cope, sometimes. I know Kevin wasn’t conscious of any of it. And I know they didn’t really understand what they were getting into. And the Beast, too, the Beast only knows pain.” Casey paused, “What I mean is, I don’t think any of you meant for this to happen.”

Jade swallowed, she shook her head angrily, “But they did. They wanted this, this was what they wanted from the beginning!”

“But they were pushed to that. Patricia wanted to believe in something so she could feel strong and powerful, and Dennis has had a warped sense of authority all his life. And Hedwig… Hedwig is only a child.”

Jade looked at her curiously, she was surprised but even more so, she was almost in disbelief, in disbelief at how this girl could fight for this body of people even though she was victim to their pain, their trauma, their hurt. But Jade was good at knowing where to bite. “But what about the other girls?”

Casey felt her breath hitch in her throat, but she replied anyway, “What do you mean?”

“They were killed, the Beast _ate_ them. They were people, people you knew, how can you look at us and say that we will be okay? How can you look at us and think you can help?” Jade was standing in only one spot now, her hands on her hips, she challenged Casey.

“Because…”

“You think you can help us, but you can’t. The Beast ruined that for us. _They_ ruined that for us, for Kevin. Now he won’t come out willingly. He won’t take control. While Patricia, Dennis and Hedwig, they get control, they get the Light whenever they want, even though they’re the ones who started this mess!” Jade felt her anger boil over and burst the air between her and Casey, she couldn’t help it, she was angry. Before everything happened, they were going well, they had things _together_ , they had Dr Fletcher, and then those four ruined everything for her. “Even your precious little Dennis, he ruined it too. He took you girls and locked you up, he helped the Beast come into the Light, and how do you repay him? With a kiss—”

“ _Don’t_.”

Jade stopped talking and looked at the brown-haired girl. Her dark eyes. She knew why Dennis thought her so pretty, she was a mysterious mess of a girl that would catch your attention anywhere.

Dr Staple stood up from her chair, her eyes on Casey, “Do we need a break?”

Casey couldn’t get the images out of her head. The ones she so desperately tried to lock up, someplace deep inside. Marcia and Claire, how could she forget them? Their bodies covered in their own blood and guts. They fought so hard to get out and they never made it. Yet Casey still came back to the person who murdered them, with open arms… was Jade right? Was this a mistake? She could feel her throat closing up and her chest tighten, she looked at Dr Staple and with defeated eyes she said, “I’m done.”

The doctor let her out of the room and Casey couldn’t stop herself from walking all the way until the elevator, where she bent over and prayed that she could hold off from puking all over the sanatorium tiled-floor.

***

She’d failed. Miserably.

Casey sat on her bed now, the homework that had piled up over the last week or so surrounded her. She wanted to concentrate but it was hard, she was tired, her eyes felt heavy, and she couldn’t stop thinking about the mess she had made at Raven Hill Memorial.

God, if only she could have _realised_ then that Jade was just trying to get her upset! But once she started thinking about… Marcia and Claire, she couldn’t help it. That was her weakness. Their lifeless bodies and the Beast hovering nearby, with hungry eyes.

She shook her head and steadied her breathing. If only she was stronger or smarter, maybe Jade wouldn’t have left her feeling so defeated. Maybe if she hadn’t let it get to her so… so badly, then Dr Staple would have a lot more faith in the decision she made; asking Casey to help her with Kevin.

Casey sighed out of frustration and shoved the books off her bed; they tumbled to the floor. She couldn’t care, she couldn’t care at all. It all seemed so trivial now, the only thing she wanted to do was figure out what the _hell_ was going on in her mind, and figure it out fast, otherwise Kevin wouldn’t be the only one left behind in darkness.

Casey lay back on her bed and stared up at the ceiling. Jade was smart and she was tricky. But what could her motive be? Didn’t she understand that Casey was there to help her? To help them all?

Casey turned over on her side. But was her help even helpful? She frowned, and thought, _I mean, what am I doing that’s helping them? Having a chat?_ Casey threw her pillow to the floor, again out of frustration, and closed her eyes. She needed a new strategy, fast.

The only way was through Kevin, right? Get through to him, and maybe he could get better. And if he got better, maybe they all could work out how to live with each other. But how could _she_ help Kevin get better? She didn’t know the first thing about psychology. She didn’t know the first thing about Kevin, really, only that he was badly abused as a child and suffered from it until this day.

Casey blinked and sat up. She swallowed, hard, and her eyes hurriedly wandered her room as she thought. Casey knew what it was like to have suffered, maybe not in the exact same way but it was there. The trust you were supposed to have for somebody who was supposed to love and care for you; broken. The trauma of rejection and manipulation, of hurt, of control, of… fear. She’d been there, she was _still_ there, at times.

Maybe all she had to do was show him kindness, show him love, show him that not everyone was out to get him. Maybe, he needed Casey to be his friend.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last chapter I have written. I wasn't sure if I wanted to post it because I have no idea when I'll be able to come back to this. Honestly, I would love to finish this for you all but when I published the first couple of chapters, it was out of mere curiosity to see if people would even be interested. To see that so many people are intrigued by this story is so exciting but it also means that I have an active audience to write for, and right now, I'm not sure how active I will be with the continuation. I really hope to finish it though. Thanks to everyone who has been so vocal in the comments, I always love reading your thoughts and reactions to each chapter!

Dennis was there again, at the door. He had opened it abruptly and came in, confused but also amused. He had asked her a question, “I heard… did… did you kiss Hedwig?”

Casey slowly got up from one of the beds in the room she was locked up in. She hugged herself against the chill that spilled through the open door behind Dennis. She felt nervous around him, not because she was intimidated, she wasn’t unsure about Dennis anymore. She knew he wouldn’t hurt her. But she was nervous that kissing Hedwig meant some kind of punishment or whatever, and she knew that the person behind that would be Patricia.

“I…” Casey looked to the floorboards, her feet in stockings, she wiggled her toes, “I did.”

Dennis raised an eyebrow at her, “What for?”

She closed her eyes and shook her head, “He just… did it, I don’t know…” she shrugged her shoulders and looked at him, “he… he asked if he could. I felt bad for him, I guess.”

“You felt bad for him?”

“Well, he’s just a kid, isn’t he?” Casey watched Dennis from across the room, “He’d never grow up, he’d never experience those kinds of things like how maybe you could, or Patricia could.”

Dennis frowned; his pointed stare so evident even in the dim light. He slowly breathed in and then out again, calculated. He took a step closer to Casey after closing the door behind him, “You really did it just because you felt bad for him?” He didn’t believe her completely, he couldn’t point out why, but he knew when people were withholding information. He was good at telling. That was one of the many skills he needed to protect Kevin.

“I… well—I was okay with it because it was just me. I wasn’t… I wasn’t going to hurt him, so I thought it would be okay. And it was just a quick peck.”

She tried to work out what Dennis was thinking. If she were in trouble, he wouldn’t have even bothered for an explanation from her, he would have just waltzed on in and ordered her around. He wasn’t the type to beat around the bush. But still, she couldn’t quite tell where he was going with all of this.

“I just… thought it odd that a nine-year-old was…” he gestured somewhat with his hands, “boasting about kissing you. I thought he was just making it up.”

“He wasn’t,” Casey said, softly. She swallowed, “I…” she suddenly paused, her eyes wide. She didn’t know what made her continue speaking, and now Dennis was expecting something more. She knew he wouldn’t let it go. She sighed, and said it quickly to get it over with, “I guess I didn’t mind so much because I knew he wouldn’t hurt me… I know I probably won’t be leaving this place, I’m not stupid,” she swallowed, nervously, “So, I was okay with it. Because I wanted to know what it was like to be kissed by somebody who… wasn’t hurting me, either.”

Dennis blinked. Casey had gone from timidness to opening up to him completely. He was so surprised that he didn’t even know how to begin to reply to her.

“It’s stupid, I know,” she shook her head, “I’m sorry, if you’re angry or…if it was wrong to. I thought it wouldn’t matter because it was harmless.” She had been somewhat getting along with Dennis and so she didn’t want to screw that up. It was the only thing keeping her from going crazy each day.

Dennis looked at her softly. It was a strange sight for Casey, she’d hardly ever seen his eyes change from hard and defensive to what they were now. She stopped her whirring thoughts and looked back at him, curiously, “Dennis?”

He stepped in toward her and met her eyes with his, just briefly, a communication passed between them that Casey didn’t quite understand; _still_ didn’t understand even now. He held her face carefully, as if she might break against his touch, and gently pressed his lips to hers. It was soft and kind, but unexpected.

He held her face in his hands still when he pulled away from kissing her. She opened her eyes slowly and stared at him, still surprised by his actions but not horrified.

He seemed surprised too, by what he had done. He blinked, as if trying to figure out his reasoning behind it. Casey didn’t need a reason, but he attempted one anyway, “I…” he started with a whisper, “I’m not going to hurt you either.”

***

Her next visit, Casey thought hard about how to keep herself from reacting so badly if the conversation of her and Dennis, or anyone of the Horde and what they did to her and her friends, were to arise again.

She was sitting in Staple’s office, waiting for her to finish her conversation on the phone. Instead of requesting to meet just outside Kevin’s room again, Staple had asked Marie to lead her here instead. Casey wasn’t sure why, but she guessed she had some news about the case against Kevin, or something like it, to share with her. The anticipation of the conversation grew with every second and Casey felt her knees weaken and her fingers shake with nerves.

Finally, after what felt like ages, Dr Staple set the phone down and peered at Casey, no sense of emotion crossed her face. Staple was calculative and cautious with her words, Casey knew that much, so she guessed Staple was thinking carefully about what she was going to say to her.

“Casey,” she started, placing her fist underneath her chin, leaning on her elbow. She stared at her a momentarily before continuing, “I wanted to talk to you about last week’s visit.”

Casey shifted uncomfortably under her stare, she had expected news about Kevin’s behaviour or some information on his upcoming trial, not something directed at her. She tried her best to keep her nerves at bay, “Okay,” she replied, quietly.

“I know we had a quick debrief after the session last time but… I’m beginning to think that this might not have been a good idea after all.”

Casey looked at her and she felt a sudden wave of disappointment overcome her, her hands became tight fists on top of her legs, “But that was only one try. I’d never met Jade before and—”

“I know, but it was evident that you weren’t prepared.”

Casey felt her heartbeat in her chest, she was beginning to panic, she couldn’t let Dr Staple notice though. She had to be as level-headed as possible if she were to convince Staple to give her a second chance. “I was under a lot of pressure. I wanted to do well in just one session but I realise now that was unlikely.”

“Pressure?”

She swallowed, her mouth dry, “You were in the room… Jade was saying things I…” she breathed, trying to calm herself, “I just wanted to help Kevin, but I wasn’t—wasn’t—”  

“Ready,” Dr Staple interjected, her eyes narrowing. “You weren’t ready.”

Casey shook her head and argued, “I was ready! But it was hard to have that conversation because I was afraid of what you would think. I felt pressured to do well because you were there, too.” She stopped herself from emotionally babbling too long, “I can do it. I just don’t think you can be there with me.”

Dr Staple’s eyebrows raised; she was surprised by the girl’s assertiveness, but she was also surprised by her statement. She leaned forward in her chair, her arms resting on the desk, now folded, “You want to be absolutely alone with a potentially criminally insane man who kidnapped you last year and killed your classmates?”

Casey breathed in steadily, watching Staple’s challenging eyes. She knew what she was doing, it was a test. Casey blinked and then nodded her head firmly, “Yes. That’s what I want.”

Dr Staple sat back into her cushioned chair, still watching Casey intently. She finally spoke, “That’s one hell of a request.” She pressed her lips firmly together in thought, “I wouldn’t be able to observe his behaviour as well as I could, I’d only get to watch through the security camera in his room.”

“It’s better than not getting anything at all.” Casey paused, “Look, I can do this. You just have to give me another shot. I know I screwed up big time last week but… I can do this.”

Dr Staple contemplated her request. But it didn’t take her long. She knew Casey was right, she could tell last time that Casey was stressed. She also knew that, even under her distress, Casey still did more than she ever could. This was their only shot. Dr Staple nodded her head, “Alright. We’ll do it your way, today.” She got up from her big, desk chair and straightened out her skirt. She eyed Casey as Casey also stood up, “This is a big risk I’m taking. You understand that, right? If anything happens to you or him…”

Casey nodded her head, “I know.”

“Good,” she confirmed, “I just thought I should remind you since you’re going in alone.” She cleared the papers from her desk and said, “I _do_ have faith in you, Casey, but it won’t be smooth sailing. He is unwell, and the alters will… they’ll say anything to get out of here.”

Casey wasn’t convinced that that was entirely true, especially after her conversation with Jade last time. Nonetheless, she tucked her hair behind her ears as she felt a newfound confidence within her and followed the doctor out of her office to visit Kevin.

It didn’t take long for them both to reach his floor. Casey knew the way now and Dr Staple said her goodbye at the elevator. She would stay in the security room to watch the live feed of their session, while two orderlies would wait outside in case Casey needed immediate help. It wasn’t so daunting for her until she had to reach for the keypad and let herself into his room.

She stumbled with the key-card and held it too long over the keypad in fear, a sudden burst of anxiety that made her stomach drop. She was going in alone. And the last time she was alone with them…

She swallowed the doubt that her brain dredged up from its pits and forced herself to step inside the room. The door clanged shut behind her and she spotted Kevin’s body sitting on the edge of the bed, his eyes on her.

She concentrated on his features and body language; it was the only way to tell who was in the Light. They sat up straight, hands neatly rested on top of knees. Their eyes didn’t leave Casey as she entered the room and found her place, toeing the red line. She settled into position and suddenly knew who they were.

He stood up from the edge of his bed and his arms fell into place over his chest, as if in protection of himself. He wasn’t wearing any glasses until he fished them out of a stack of belongings beside the bed and slid them over his nose. Casey wondered if he’d only just come into the Light.

“Dennis,” she said, calmly. A brief image of her dream, of her memory with him, flashed before her mind. “How are you?”

His lips were a thin and firm line, his eyes slightly narrowed from the creased eyebrows of his concentrated frown. “I’m fine.”

Casey licked her lips nervously and tucked her hair, “It’s good to see you, again.” It wasn’t a total lie.

His jaw clenched and unclenched at her words and his stare didn’t soften one bit, “I told you to not bother with us, Casey.”

She frowned, “What—”

He didn’t bother to wait for her to finish speaking and interrupted her by saying, “I told you not to waste your time, yet you came to us last week with that doctor and now… Now you’re here, again.” His nostrils flared with frustration. He hated being harsh with the girl but there was nothing else he could do.

“I’m not going to just leave you here, Dennis. Not any of you.”

He knew she would resist. It was always her nature to. He admired that about her. He swallowed before saying, “You can’t…” he closed his eyes, briefly, “You can’t save us. You can’t rescue us. You can’t rescue Kevin.”

“I’m not trying to save you; I’m just trying to help you realise that you can recover. Can’t you see that?”

“We’re doing this to ourselves, there’s nothing you can do.”

Casey shook her head at him and suddenly felt the urge to cry or yell. She didn’t understand why but she couldn’t let him act so defeated. There was a chance for all of them to be what they were and who they were. To help one another and to share the Light under Kevin’s management. To live real lives in freedom. But if Dennis were to refuse, then what hope did she have in helping them?

“Why are you so dead set on not being able to get out of here?” she challenged, an edge of anger to her voice. She stepped over the line without thinking twice and made her way closer to him, “You’ve got a shot here. The doctor is letting me see you, she wants to help—”

He took a few steps back, “We don’t want your help or her help.”

“You don’t mean that.”

His jaw hardened out of reluctance, “ _I_ don’t want your help,” his eyes dropped to his shoes. He swallowed, hard. He couldn’t look her in the eyes.

Casey stared at him. A long time passed but all she could do was stare at him. He still refused to meet her eyes. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing, she couldn’t let herself believe it. It made no sense. All Dennis ever wanted was to be free. Free of abuse, free of trauma, free of Patricia’s manipulative hold on him.

“Is Patricia doing this?”

He suddenly looked up to her again, eyes fiery, “ _No_.”

“Bullshit,” Casey said, taking a step closer, “Either that or someone—”

“ _Casey_ ,” he warned, his voice low. He was breathing harshly through his nose and his chest rose and fell rapidly. “Stop wasting your time by coming around here, we don’t want your help. We don’t need it.”

She blinked at his remark and fell back away from him. She swallowed her feelings and nodded, realising that she couldn’t get through to him by arguing with him over and over again. She didn’t want to have to leave but she couldn’t see any progress happening today, and she didn’t have any more chances left to risk an emotional explosion out of either of them.

She turned her back to him and began nearing the door but stopped short as something in her brain clicked. The thought whirred all session long and had finally fell right into place. She shook her head, slowly, and turned to face him, “You made her say those things to me, didn’t you?”

Dennis only stared at her, refusing to let any other emotion cross his face.

Casey shook her head at him again, in confirmation, she knew she was right. He didn’t deny her. “You told Jade to get me all riled up like that so I would leave. You _knew_ I would cave, you…” she paused, keeping her eyes on him, “I’m not leaving.”

Dennis frowned immediately, letting his guard slide, he dropped his hands by his side. He stared.

Casey stepped back over the line and walked right to the middle of the room and sat down on the cool, concrete floor. Her arms were crossed and so were her legs, as she peered up at Dennis with challenging brown eyes, “I’m not going anywhere until my time is officially up. And you know what? I’ll keep coming back. I’ll keep coming back no matter what you say to me.”

“I’m—” he started, unsure. He knew she wouldn’t give up, not now. Not now that she had worked out what he’d done. He stood there in silence, hesitant. And then he sat down too, opposite her, his back leaned against the wall. They stared at each other as silence lay between them, both thinking of the moments they shared, both using that as reason enough to fight the other.

Casey thought about the dream she had, the one she kept having since she started helping Kevin and the others. The one with Dennis. It wasn’t just a dream, but a memory, too. She had sometimes thought about it, once she escaped the zoo. It was the first time she realised that she cared about them, that she cared for Dennis.

“Casey—” he said, interrupting her thoughts. But when she looked up at him, she saw him twitch. He was changing alters.

Casey watched as Dennis slid from consciousness and his eyes shut. They moved underneath the eyelids briefly before reopening. Whoever had the Light now blinked against the harsh, white light in the room. They turned to face Casey and swallowed.

“Casey,” Barry said, quickly. He scrambled away from the wall that Dennis leaned his back against, and he scooted closer to Casey, still on the floor. He rested on his ankles and urgently grabbed onto her arm with a sense of desperation, “Casey, you have to help us. Don’t listen to Dennis, he’s being selfish.”

Casey watched intently as Barry spoke, eager to talk to him. She remembered him, from the brief moments they shared before the Beast took over and from the video-logs. He was on Kevin’s side.

“Barry… I—”

He licked his lips nervously and sat crossed-legged in front of her, he cut her off from finishing her sentence as he quickly explained, “I don’t have much time. They hardly ever let me near the Light these days.” He sighed, exasperated, and continued, “I’ve been talking to Kevin. Jade’s right, he’s weak, really weak. He doesn’t want to come into the Light, he’s scared to face what the Horde has done. But you, Casey, you’re the key to it all. You can help us. _You_ have to bring Kevin into the Light, I know you know how to—” he couldn’t finish, though, as he was overcome with the switch in alters yet again.

He sat back, with eyes closed, a brief period of silence passed before their eyes opened again.

They let go of Casey as soon as they were conscious and then straightened their posture. Their eyes were as vicious as a viper’s and their smile cold. “Hello, Casey,” Patricia’s way of speaking was as clear as day, and her hand instinctively pulled the collar of the sanatorium uniform up around her neck, “You’ve caused quite the disturbance here today, haven’t you?”


End file.
